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| #FOR FANS OF: Alternative Metal/Hardcore, Pantera, Korn, Five Finger Death Punch |
French metallers Order of 315 have once again strayed relatively far into the modern metal scene that has quickly become a strong part of the French scene that contains far more of their counterparts’ elements into their sound. Mostly employing a heavy, groove-centered mid-tempo approach that interchanges swirling rhythms and tight pattern-changes into a series of vicious, groove styled rhythms that add in touches of hardcore and modern progressive rock, there’s a rather tight, frenetic sound on display which becomes quite enjoyable at times while still utilizing far too many plodding and mid-tempo patterns here to really make much use of them overall here. This one works nicely enough in these more hard-hitting sections and acquits itself well there, but the disparate mix of influences and seemingly blander stylings here make this one quite troubling at times, especially the later half which has a lot of weak tracks there to fill the running time. Still, on the whole the tracks aren’t too terrible. Opener ‘A Slap on the Wrist’ offers explosive, charging rhythms and plenty of charging, hoarse vocals containing the strong churning riffs and steady patterns grinding along through the grooves of the final half for a strong opening impression. ‘Telescope’ features heavier chugging and plenty of tight, swirling grooves with a ferocious and charging series of thrashing rhythms and energetic patterns that generate a strong, frenetic pace here with the grinding grooves working well for a strong highlight. ‘The Feather Factor’ offers some electronica influences into the plodding mid-tempo grooves and swirling breakdowns on display that are somewhat at odds with the pulsating electronics though the swirling rhythms are enjoyable enough to make this a somewhat enjoyable effort. ‘Abelian’ and ‘Meiosis’ return to the charging, hard-hitting grooves with the swirling riffing and simplistic rhythms that charge along to a solid mid-tempo crunch with plenty of strong patterns along with scattered electronics for nice highlight offerings. ‘Rumble Fish’ uses more of the electronica influences to plod along with the simplistic grooves and swirling rhythms introduced alongside the series of simplistic, plodding paces featured along into the finale for a decent-if-unspectacular track. ‘Data Warfare’ comes off as a fine mixture of the chugging grooves and swirling electronics featured throughout into the sprawling, buzzing electronic passages that continue swirling along into the final half for a truly disposable and unnecessary track. ‘Greyscale’ uses the down-tuned rhythms and swirling mid-tempo grooves into a fine series of plodding patterns that bring the simplistic chugging along through the simplistic finale for a decent enough offering. ‘Densen’ uses more straightforward, simplistic riff-work and plodding rhythms with plenty of sprawling electronics spread throughout into a bland series of swirling grooves chugging along into the final half for a rather unimpressive effort. ‘Unperfect Circles’ features plenty of straightforward, simple chugging riffing with sprawling electronics into a series of rather straightforward swirling patterns that continue droning on through plodding tempos through the final half for a somewhat enjoyable if still really flawed effort. Lastly, ‘Drone’ features plenty of tight, swirling chugging and lively groove-filled patterns alongside the influx of mid-tempo swirling patterns with more tight crunchy grooves carrying on through the finale for a much more enjoyable effort and does end this on a high-note. It’s worthwhile enough at times, but does have a few problems with it. (Don Anelli)
(Self - 2016)
Score: 70